Imperial Conquest
by Maybe a Person
Summary: What if the Death Star II hadnt been destroyed? I changed Chapter III, i added a paragraph that i forgot to last time. Please r/r!
1. Imperial Conquest - Prologue

1 I don't own Star Wars, I wish I did, but I don't. I know I'm not supposed to upload prologues, but it's a chapter in and of itself. L8a.  
  
2  
  
3 Prologue  
  
The Bothans were wrong. There was no tunnel leading to the core. No way to destroy the Empires newest abomination. After the Shield Generator on the Endor Moon was destroyed, Lando Calrissian, Wedge Antilles, and all of the remaining fighters flew to where the tunnel orifice should have been. When they reached that point, Hundreds of turbolaser cannons rose from the Death Star II's surface and began firing.  
  
All ships were presumed destroyed, all pilots presumed dead.  
  
When Admiral Ackbar lost all communications with Lando and the fighter force, he ordered a retreat. As the cruisers began to turn, massive Gravitic Generators, each almost as large as the still operational Death Star II's Laser Dish, decloaked. When the gravity wells expanded from the generators, the navi-computers on the cruisers would not allow them to go to Hyperspace.  
  
The slow-moving starcruisers were easy targets to TIE Fighters and Superlasers. Then, with a strategic move that would have surprised even the Emperor himself, the cruisers cut all power and poured it into their Ion Cannons. The four remaining ships fired upon the furthermost generator, opening a gap in the gravity field. The MC80a Defiance's hyperdrive had been damaged in the fighting, so it remained and attacked the Star Destroyers and TIES with full force until her noble end. As Admiral Ackbar gave the order to jump, he noticed an Imperial Shuttle fly dangerously close to his ship, but made nothing of it, thinking it was an Imperial coward using this chance to desert.  
  
Matters moonside were different. After the shield generator had been destroyed, Han Solo, Leia Organa, and Chewbacca celebrated due to their imminent victory. But as the minutes passed, the Death Star II did not explode. In fact, it fired its superlaser repeatedly. R2-D2 began to whistle franticly and C-3PO translated, just as franticly, that several squadrons of TIEs were closing in from the East. Han ordered all to return to the Shuttle Tydirium. As they lifted of and began their journey, sensors recorded several spherical machines decloaking and began emitting colossal gravity wells. Leia tried to contact Home One several times, but all hails went unanswered. As the Saber, Scythe, and Obsidian TIE Squadrons closed quickly on Tydirium, it flew westward, so as to avoid the previously unknown landing platforms, to the opposite side of the moon and left the atmosphere.  
  
Before Han took the shuttle to Hyperspace, Leia insisted on telling the fleet that they would rendezvous on their former base of operations, Yavin IV. Then just as Han was about to Jump, the Imperial Star Destroyer Thunderflare began to track them. Wherever Tydirium would jump, Thunderflare would follow. This went on for days. After countless attempts to lose the Imperials and make contact with the Fleet, an idea floated back to Han from his smuggling days.  
  
The Maw.  
  
With Han Solo at the controls, he dropped out of Hyperspace right in the midst of the Maw. He used that ship for all it was worth, as he evaded asteroids and black holes. Future history books would say that Thunderflare had burned out her engines and that's why she was pulled into an event horizon of a black hole. But Han, Leia, and Chewie knew that the Imperial commanders were too dull, and Imperial Ship too graceless to make it through the Maw.  
  
When Master Luke Skywalker escaped the Death Star II shortly after Executor careened into the surface, not one ship fired a shot at his shuttle. For they all believed that it was Dark Lord Vader, due to the fact that it was Vader's personal shuttle. And in the commotion, none of the Rebel Cruisers noticed an Imperial shuttle slip quietly into a small Shipbay in Home One.  
  
Several days after the Massacre at Endor, the Death Star II activated its own shielding and destroyed the Sanctuary Moon. Imperial Engineers predict six more standard months until the Death Star II can begin its invincible reign of galaxy-wide terror. The Pixeletoan Future Sayers say nine.  
  
If the Rebellion cannot recover itself soon, the last vestiges of safety will evaporate into the stars... 


	2. Imperial Conquest - Chapter I

1 Chapter I  
  
The shuttles Tydirium and Fear Striker landed on the jungle moon, Yavin IV, scattering a group of native quadrupeds. Leia Organa jumped from the ramp of her shuttle and ran to Luke's. The earlier revelations had conjured up many questions in Leia's mind. Many others from the shuttle walked out and stretched their arms and legs.  
  
"Luke!" They embraced, "Oh, how I've missed you. I'm so relieved that you're alive!"  
  
"And I you." They separated, "How is the Fleet?"  
  
"Not well. All was lost save Home One, Redemption, and Masanya. We lost every fighter. Every pilot." Tears began to well up in her eyes. Luke looked away and straight ahead. The same look as when Yoda told him of his lineage flowed across his face. He made eye contact with Leia again.  
  
"And the Fal-" Han cut him off.  
  
"Lost. The Imps let some more squints out of their cage."  
  
"A few million. Were lucky we made it out at all. Luke, there's so much I want to ask and tell you-"  
  
"Not now, later. Leia, Han, Chewie. It's good to see you all again."  
  
"Come with us, well strip this thing for parts tomorrow."  
  
"No, I have some business to attend to. I'll meet you back at the Fleet in a few hours."  
  
"Okay." Han outstretched his hand and Luke shook it. Then as Luke was stretching his hand out to Chewbacca, he took Luke into a giant embrace. Luke laughed and walked back to his shuttle where Lord Darth Vader lay dead. His mind was crowded with visions, thoughts, sights, sounds and more. He had decided back on Home One that a funeral pyre deep in the forest would be best to take care of the body.  
  
The shuttles lifted off and parted ways. Leias to the Fleet, and Luke's to a small clearing he saw earlier on the southern continent.  
  
"Han, there's still a chance Lando and the other pilots made it out." Leia had noticed how withdrawn he'd been at the reunion.  
  
"That's vrelt-grime and you know it. It looked like a green sun was rising over the Death Stars horizon, even from the damn moon." This was the first time any of them had really talked of the violence. In the days after, most people only rested and brooded among themselves. Han, Chewbacca, Leia and the rest of the group of people from the moon had taken shifts in flying the shuttle back to the Yavin system. Today was the first day anyone had talked to others about it.  
  
Han tried to completely focus on piloting the shuttle to the Fleet that was just now entering the System. But time and time again, his thoughts drifted back to Lando, Wedge, and the other brave men and women that died that day.  
  
The Massacre at Endor.  
  
That's what they would call it. Thousands dead in less than an hour. The silence that prevailed among the shuttle bothered Leia.  
  
"Han, I know exactly how you feel. At the initial victory of the Rebellion many good men and women were lost. Then less than a week later, Alderaan. Friends, family, comrades, all killed in the blink of an eye.  
  
"But I survived. As will you, survive. We are fighting a war against something bigger and more powerful than all of us put together. Of course some will be lost.  
  
"And if you, or anyone else give up now, They will have died in vain. Hans thoughts turned to Bria Tharen, a former girlfriend. She was among the last killed at the Battle of Toprawa, the mission that won the original Death Star's technical readouts. They'd had a connection unlike any other. After he got the news that she was taken captive and forced to take her lullaby, or suicide pill, it nearly killed him as well.  
  
He had lost her many times, but the finality of knowing she was truly dead aroused a combination of feelings in him.  
  
Anger, because the Empire killed the brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and loved ones without any feelings or remorse.  
  
Grief, because he would never see her again, never smell her again, never talk to her again.  
  
And Pride. Pride because she died doing something believed in. Something she had fought for until her last breath. Then, as if reading his thoughts, Leia said,  
  
"Think of Bria. If you give up now, the Rebellion will lose a great man and will most likely fail in it's campaign." He continued to stare out the cockpit window. Leia watched him for any signs that he'd taken in what she'd said. But none showed. He looked over to Leia, his eyes on the verge of tears.  
  
"Were almost to Home One." He looked down at his control panel. And the silence prevailed once again  
  
Luke felt the fire's heat radiating onto his face. He stood and watched as his Father burned. His face stung, but he did not move. He took it as punishment, maybe? He had fought with the Dark Side as an ally. Conduct unbecoming of a Jedi, or any other sentient for that matter.  
  
Small insects flew into the flames and fell down ablaze. Reminding of the torture of watching his friends and wing mates fight that epic battle. He stood for hours alone, only the animals and insects as companions until the fire was nothing but embers.  
  
But the armor remained.  
  
The last remnants of Darth Vader. He poured the ashes into an Alderaanian funeral urn he had retrieved from Home One's storage facility. It was bright, gleaming silver with ornate markings and carvings on it.  
  
Then, he placed the armor on the ramp of the Shuttle and a chill ran down his spine. It looked as if Vader was lying there, staring skyward.  
  
He took off and flew full speed towards the Yavin system's sun. A small blue light indicated that he was being hailed. He turned the communicator off.  
  
As he got closer and closer to the sun, Warnings began to blink and beep. He pushed the button to lower the ramp then stopped. He watched as the armor sped towards the Sun. 


	3. Imperial Conquest - Chapter II

1 Chapter II  
  
"First things first, supplies. We are in dire need of them. With the combined losses of Hoth Base and the Fleet, we lost virtually everything." Han, Luke, Leia and Chewbacca listened as Admiral Ackbar spoke about the state of the Rebellion. "As most of you know, all that is left of the Fleet are the MC85 Home One, CR90 Masanya, and the Nebulon-B Medical Frigate Redemption. Our apologies go out to those who lost friend and family aboard the other ships. But know this: They all died doing something they believed in. As has everyone else who died fighting for freedom.  
  
"But back to supplies. As of now, there are several sources still contributing to the Rebellion. We know Corellia and Dev'lal of the Hoth Asteroids will re-supply us with food, water, and some uniforms, and a weapons manufacturer on Nar Shadaa will donate a limited supply of lasers and blasters. Other than that, its up to us. Imperial Raids will have to suffice until more people agree to either join or provide supplies." A Twi'Lek man walked across the Assembly Room of Home One and whispered to Ackbar. A look of delight spread across his face.  
  
"Ladies and gentleman, good news has finally sought us out. An Imperial Defector has joined our cause. Here is General Meven to speak about him." Ackbar stepped down from the Holo-Emitter, the spot customarily used as a podium, and Meven stepped up. He activated it with a few keystrokes.  
  
"This is Yroush Elbeset." A fair skinned, short haired human male in an Imperial Captain's uniform appeared and slowly rotated. "I wont go into details now, but this man could tell you more about the Empire in ten minutes than what Intel. got in a month. Later today, if not tomorrow, Yroush will inform us of a raid to be executed next week. Unless Admiral Ackbar has anything more to say," Ackbar slightly shook his head, "Well, then dismissed." The men and women of the myriad races of the Rebel Alliance began to talk amongst themselves. Some stood, and some stayed seated, and some left, but one could tell the mood was uneasy.  
  
The ceremonies on Coruscant were in full swing. Fireworks of all kinds exploded above the spectators. Some looked like small TIE Fighters with long trails of blue, red, green, and many other colors trailing behind them. Others like several meter long Star Destroyers flew low. Thousands of people had small sticks that emitted sparks. All the light made it looks as if twilight had stayed to see the inauguration.  
  
Massive spotlights illuminated the massive gradite statue of Uag Arill, the new Emperor. Real TIE Squadrons of all kinds flew patrols over the streets and platforms.  
  
Days ago, as the people celebrated the destruction and end of the oppressive Empire; Imperial strategists organized Stormtrooper teams to control the crowds. Star Destroyers and other Imperial spacecraft were dispatched to planets within Imperial clutches to regain control once again. In the aftermath, billions of people from hundreds of planets were dead. And the Empire had regained control.  
  
The newest Imperial weapon, the Death Star II, was now in orbit of Coruscant. If one ever needed confirmation that the Empire was once again the ruling power in the Galaxy, they need only to look up into the heavens. The Executor II was now under construction in the Death Star II Building Bay, or DS2BB. The few other ships that were lost at the Massacre at Endor were also being rebuilt at the many Imperial Construction Sites throughout the Galaxy.  
  
The pyrotechnics stopped and a platform was illuminated by a spotlight hovering high above the crowd. The fading sound of Twin Ion Engines filled the air as the throng went silent. Small platforms rose from different spots in the crowd. Stormtroopers armed with E-Web Cannons sat atop them. High-pitched whining was heard as small guns activated on the surrounding buildings. The laser dish on the Death Star II was pointed directly at the site. The Empire was taking no chances.  
  
Uag gazed down at the crowd. It was dotted with the white armor of Stormtroopers. He wished to improve the armor of them once he was in office. A direct hit could overheat the body glove and kill the man inside. There were many problems with the current Empire. TIEs to easily shot down, troopers too easily killed, outposts too easily raided; the list was endless.  
  
Then, breaking him from his thoughts, a spotlight from above bathed him and the people on the platform in light. Small guns rose from the raised edge of his platform. He saw thousands of faces peering up at him, waiting to see what he was going to say.  
  
Then, as he was about to step up to the podium and begin speaking, he saw a small red laser light on his shoulder in his peripheral vision, the kind used on E-Web Cannons. He resisted the urge to turn his head to look. Uag jumped for the platform and slapped his hand down onto a large green button. It turned red and immediately an energy shield rose up. Several E- Web bolts bounced harmlessly off. Stormtroopers immediately began leading everyone out of Coru Square, the central plaza of Imperial Center. The wail of TIEs filled the air in seconds. The platform on which the assassinator stood on hurtled in flames down onto a street below. A shuttle escorted by fourteen Interceptors and with its ramp already down folded its wings and lowered to the platform without landing completely. Uag stepped aboard with his Elitetrooper Guard following close behind.  
  
Uag sat down and began his short journey back to Imperial Palace. 


	4. Imperial Conquest - Chapter III

1 Chapter III  
  
News of the assassination attempt spread quickly throughout the Galaxy, but Imperial officials would not release any information regarding to if it had succeeded. However, the ever-vigilant HoloNet released any information acquired.  
  
"Who was it?" Uag demanded from the General of the Marines in his deep, smooth voice. His black hair was slicked back. A white scar wound its way across his face from his left eyes to his chin. He was a very imposing figure at almost 8 feet tall and very muscular. He was watching the Imperial Center sunset, but sat down and turned computer terminal on.  
  
"Emel Ispe. He had served in the Imperial Stormtrooper force for many years. We don't know of any reasons why he would turn on the Empire in such a manner." Uag began searching the Imperial Database for any and all information on this, Emel Ispe.  
  
"Are you absolutely sure it was who you think it is?" He said, his eyes still glued to the screen.  
  
"Well, as sure as we can be. The TIE pilots were smart enough to completely destroy his body. We got his operating number from a portion of his helmet."  
  
"It says here his last posting was on the opposite side of the planet. Why was he here?" his piercing gaze moved from the terminal to General Imos.  
  
"Well, until more men join the Forces, there is a limited number available. Many were killed on the moon and in the Star Destroyers at Endor, and even more were killed on the planets within our jurisdiction."  
  
"You ass. Can't you see? Emel Ispe is alive and well in Cemrik Sector. This was a rebel ploy to throw a hydrospanner into the machine of the Empire. Find Emel, now. I want him questioned. And I want all Rebel sympathizers within the Empire killed."  
  
"All dead?" Admiral Ackbar spoke to a hologram of Dremin Omesa, a rebel spy within the Empire, about a recent turn of events.  
  
"Yes sir. And I fear our spies will be targeted next. Already have there been attempts on Elkir and Nimar's lives."  
  
"And what of the assassination of Arill?"  
  
"Recent reports tell me that it was unsuccessful. Were assuming Ganiker's mercenary was killed."  
  
"It was a foolhardy idea in the first place." Ackbar took a drink of water, something he did when under too much stress. He couldn't wait to go for a swim in the artificial ocean aboard Home One. It very closely resembled the oceans on Mon Calamari, his home world. Hundreds of species of fish and sea life awaited him. An artificial sun shone down onto the "Preserve", as they called it. Beaches and grassy hills on all sides surrounded the several hundred meter deep ocean. Holo-emitters planted on the sides made it look as it the room went on forever. Always a blue sky with sparse clouds shone down onto the peoples within.  
  
"How is Yroush?" Dremin was concerned for him. He had helped Yroush escape the clutches of the Empire, and they had become good friends in the journey back.  
  
"Better, though he is confined to a hoverchair. The Ion Cannon blast really wreaked havoc on his central nervous system. It will be weeks before he can walk again."  
  
Yroush was going to be killed covertly by the Empire because of information he had. So they had come up with the story that he had killed an officer, stolen his clothing, and posed as him to break into the main computer. So when he was on a mission far away from anyone or anything, he contacted the Alliance. If he had waited only 2 minutes more, he would have never been able to make the call. An Imperial assassin droid had been lying in wait. A Y-Wing flying close to the system intercepted the transmission and, after thorough convincing, made a micro-jump and landed on the barren world. Just as Dremin and Yroush lifted off, the droid came out of hiding and exploded, sending several forms of radiation in all directions. But the Empire would not allow him to secede that easily. As they prepared to jump, an unnamed Imperial Star Destroyer dropped out of hyperspace right on top of them. They were forced to veer sharply off course and evade many laser bolts. As TIEs were about to be released, they dipped into the atmosphere of Ando Prime, an icy world much resembling Hoth. As the TIES slowly shut down and crashed, Dremin piloted the Y-Wing across the planet's surface. The Star Destroyer lumbered along the outer atmosphere with the fighter in its sights. Much to the chagrin of the duo, this captain's specialty was orbital bombardment. Bombs, lasers, and explosives of all kind crashed into the surface. Turning magnificent ice monuments into boiling pools in seconds. Then as all hope seemed to die, a hole in the surface caught Yroush's attention. It led deep into the planet and opened into a myriad of stone and ice caves. For hours they navigated the channels, trying to find a way out. In and out, up and down, side to side, they went every direction possible. Then, as if a god had shown them they way, a pillar of light shone down. Followed by many tons of stone. Evading stone because the laser batteries had long since frozen, they shot from the surface.  
  
Only to find dozens of walkers. AT-ATs, AT-STs, small tanks, all shooting at once. They couldn't do anything. To all sides, walkers. Above, a heavily armed Star Destroyer with an angry captain. Glancing blows and direct hits began to bring the ship's systems back to life as they wove through the legs of AT-ATs. Then, a small screen lit up. It was the Targeting controls for the proton bomb launcher. It had come back online. Dremin asked Yroush if a Wedge, a slang term for Star Destroyers, had many weak spots. Yroush told him about the weaponry on the ventral sides. They could launch a few bombs and be outside of the Wedge's firing arc. So, with a parting bomb, they flew up into the atmosphere and fired 2 bombs along the bottom of the Star Destroyer, destroying many small laser batteries. Then, right before they flew out from under the massive ship, an ion cannon lowered from the ship and fired. Dremin barely got the craft out of the way in time. But as it passed, it tapped the small area behind the cockpit and severely hurt Yroush, for he was in the gunners seat. But as Dremin tried to confirm if Yroush was even still alive, they jumped into hyperspace, and were gone.  
  
But their good luck would not last. The hyperdrive failed a few seconds after they jumped, and the careened back into normal space.  
  
Their R2 unit was lost, engines failed, O2 depleting, they relied on inertia to carry them back to Yavin. Almost a minute after Dremin went unconscious from oxygen deprivation, they were taken aboard the New Hope, a Gallofree Yards Medium Transport just given to the Rebellion.  
  
After a week each submerged in bacta, they were, for the most part, healed. Yroush would require several more treatments, but eventually he would be in control on his faculties.  
  
"I hope you'll be attending the briefing."  
  
"Of course," Dremin replied, "I wouldn't miss it for the Galaxy. But I hope Yroush is up to it."  
  
"He's been waiting strike back at the Empire since he arrived. Don't worry, my friend, he'll do well.  
  
Interesting rumors were spreading through the Tatooine settlements. The central theme being that several Rebel Heroes survived and were lying low on Tatooine. A freighter pilot had said that he saw a crashed YT-1300 freighter in the Dune Sea with tracks leading around the ship and into the unknown. Some say these were just fictitious rumors started by the Empire to give some hope to the remnants of the Alliance. Truth be told, no one really knows, but tis the nature of rumors… 


End file.
